Soap-powder canister



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I. S. FAIROHILD. SOAP POWDER OANISTBR.

Patented Dec. 1,1891.

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F. s. PAIRGHILD. SOAP POWDER GANISTER.

No. 464,315. Patented Dec. 1, 1891-.

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FREDERICK S. FAIRCHILD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

SOAP-POWDER CANISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,315, dated December 1, 1891.

Application filed March 5, 1891. Serial No. 383.820. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK S. FAIR- CHILD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soap-Powder Canisters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. My invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in canisters for holding soap-powder and similar substances, and has for its object to provide a device of this de scription whose contents may be discharged in small quantities, as required for use, in which the rate of discharge may be under the control of the operator, which may be actuated for the release of the contents and the latter caught by the use of one hand only and in which the movements of the handle shall agitate and loosen the contents; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter fully set forth, and then recited in the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully understand its construction and method of operation, I will describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the numerals marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

' Figure l is an elevation of a canister constructed in accordance with my invention, the side wall being broken away to show the internal construction. Fig. 2 is a vertical section at right. angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section at the line y y of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4, a bottom plan view.

1 represents a canister or receptacle, pref-v erably of sheet metal, having a suitable cover 2 and provided with a bottom 3 a short distance above its lower end.

at is a slide-rod having a bearing in the bottom 3 and another bearing for its upper end in a cross-piece 5, secured within the cams ter. Said rod carries a stop 6, between which and the bottom wall 3 is interposed a spiral spring 7. The lower end of this slide-rod outside of the bottom wall bears a cross-bar 8, from which projects a handle 9, having a knob or finger-pad 10 upon its end. This handle projects outward through a slot 11 in the side wall of the canister, by which the handle is guided and its movement limited. The bottom wall 3 has formed therein two slightly -tapered perforations, and through each of these projects upward a tapered rod or plug 12, whose lower end is attached to the cross-bar 8. Each of these rods carries suitable stirring wires or agitators 13. Abrackct 14 is attached to the canister for the purpose of supporting thelatter upon asuitable connection with the wall or other fixed object.

The apparatus above described is filled with soap-powder or other substance required to be discharged. When all parts are in their normal positions, the tapered holes in the bottom wall are tightly closed by means of the tapered rods 12. To discharge the contents, downward pressure is applied to the handle, whereby the tapered rods are backed out of the holes and an annular opening thereby afforded at each hole for the escape of the contents, the size of said opening being directly proportional to the downward movement of the handle. Vthen the handle is re leased, the spring 7 raises it and the parts thereunto attached, the agitators serving to stir up and loosen the contents both during the downward and the upward movement of the handle, but particularly during the latter, which is a quick spring-actuated throw suddenly checked by the abutment of the crossbar against the bottom wall. This jars the canister and tends to loosen and shake down the contents.

The relation of the operating-handle to the lower open end of the canister is such that the palm of the hand maybe placed below the opening to catch the powder, the handle being meanwhile operated by the thumb to any ex- .tent desired. The location of the handle near the bot-tom of the device is also convenient,

inasmuch as if it were at the top the outer surface of the canister would be constantly disfigured and soiled by the application of wet hands thereto. The tapered shape of the rods 12 is convenient, since the operator is enabled, according to his need, either to withdraw them slightly, and thereby permit a small quantity of the contents to escape, or he may operate the handle throughout a greater distance, and thereby obtain a greater quantity.

I am aware that the patent to Lockwood, No. 445,958, exhibits a construction in which the operating-shaft, so called, is located at the bottom of the receptacle. I do not therefore wish to be understood as laying claim, broadly, to this feature nor to anything found in the Lockwood patent.

I claim- 1. In a soap-canister, a receptacle for the powdered soap, having its bottom provided with one or more escape-openings, in combination with a central slide-rod spring-actuated in one direction and suitably guided, a cross-bar secured to the slide-rod below the bottom of the receptacle and having one or may receive the powder as the latter is discharged, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the receptacle 1, having the transverse bottom 8, provided with one or more escape-openings, of the central slide-rod 4, suitably guided and actuated in one direction by spring 7, the cross-bar 8, secured to the slide-rod below the bottom and normally engaging the outer surface of the latter, the handle 9, projecting outward and adapted for manual manipulation downward against the action of the spring, and one or more rods 12, secured to the cross-bar and projectin g upward through the openings into the receptacle to open and close said openings, said rods having agitators 13, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK S. FAIRCHILD.

lVitnesses:

SHERMAN HABTWELL HUBBARD, M. O. HINCHCLIFFE. 

